Technology

The Latest on the FCC's vote on eliminating net-neutrality protections for the internet (all times local): 2:10 p.m. State attorneys general are now threatening lawsuits against the federal government's repeal of "net neutrality" rules. New York's attorney general says he'll lead a multistate lawsuit to stop the Federal Communications Commission's rollback of rules that guaranteed equal access to the internet. Democrat Eric Schneiderman has been investigating fake public comments submitted to the FCC during the net neutrality comment process. Schneiderman says his analysis shows 2 million comments stole the identities of real Americans, including dead people and children. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, a Republican, said at a July FCC meeting that the raw number of comments wasn't as important as...

The US communications regulator has controversially voted to abolish net neutrality rules that guarantee equal access to the internet.The decision had been widely expected despite a campaign led by tech giants to keep regulations in place.Members of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), led by its Republican chairman Ajit Pai, voted along party lines to repeal rules put in place by the Obama administration in 2015.The vote was supported by the White House and protests were held outside FCC headquarters during its meeting, which was abruptly halted just before the vote "on the advice of security".:: Net neutrality: What a US vote means for the UKImage:Mr Pai voted along party lines to repeal rules put in place by the Obama administrationSome 22 million people had submitted comments a...

Skywatchers are in for a dazzling show tonight. The annual Geminid meteor shower that will streak across the night sky will be one of the best of the year, scientists say. The Geminid meteors are expected to peak overnight. With good weather conditions, the cosmic display can be seen between 7:30 p.m. and dawn local time. The largest number of meteors will be visible between midnight and 4 a.m. local time, according to NASA. "With August's Perseids obscured by bright moonlight, the Geminids will be the best shower this year," said Bill Cooke with NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. "The thin, waning crescent Moon won't spoil the show." Considered one of the year's most reliable meteor showers, the Geminids occur every December when Earth passes through a vast trail of dusty debris she...

Google remains the most used search engine on the web and its annual list of the most popular searches always offers an excellent glimpse into the zeitgeist.The company's trends data reveals that people asked "how" more than any other question.As the political and natural environment erupted in turmoil this year, Google users asked: How do wildfires start? How to calm a dog during a storm? How to make a protest sign?Alongside its video of the year's trends, Google said: "These questions show our shared desire to understand our experiences, to come to each other's aid, and, ultimately, to move our world forward."Interestingly, differences between the UK and US show peculiar differences in focus.Despite North Korea's threat to attack the US mainland with a nuclear-tipped intercontinental bal...

Net neutrality rules put in place under the Obama administration are at risk of being overturned. The Federal Communications Commission will vote Thursday on whether to remove net neutrality rules instituted during the Obama administration, after a proposal by President Donald Trump's appointed FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who suggested in May removing the classification for internet service providers (ISPs) as public utilities. This could allow ISPs to charge more for consumers to access different websites. Here's what you need to know: What is net neutrality?Net neutrality is the principle that ISPs treat all content equally and not give preference to some digital content providers. That means the consumer can load every website, app, video, .gif, etc., equally, regardless of where the cont...